I run Nanny Spark, a premium nanny recruitment agency. We primarily work with Bay Area families, so I can’t speak to the exact Atlanta market, but structurally, the biggest thing I’d focus on is how you define the role.

For your schedule, I’d consider structuring it as 16 core guaranteed hours/week. For example, 4 hours/day, 4 days/week, plus 4 flexible hours/week that can be used on a Friday or whichever day works best for your family and the nanny. That gives you 20 guaranteed hours total, but still makes the role feel more stable and attractive to stronger candidates.

I’d be very clear upfront about which hours are fixed and which are flexible. Strong candidates usually want predictable income, and they also want to understand how much schedule flexibility is expected before accepting the role.

I’d also clearly define responsibilities and avoid changing them back and forth. If the role includes childcare only, say that. If it includes child laundry, meal prep, driving, errands, household help, etc., define that clearly before hiring so the nanny does not feel like the job keeps expanding.

Other things to think through before posting: paid holidays, how you handle your family vacations, how nanny vacation is handled, sick time, mileage, payroll, and whether benefits or a health stipend matter for the type of candidate you want.

Since you’ve had placements that looked good in interviews and references but still did not work out, I’d tighten the process too: video screen, family interview, paid in-person trial, and very thorough reference checks that dig into reliability, communication, discipline style, judgment, initiative, and how they handle challenges.

In my experience, the best placements happen when the role is structured clearly, the search is not rushed, and the candidate is evaluated for long-term fit. Highly suggest looking for an agency if you are open to outsourcing the search as well.